of yoga mats and cappuccinos
by writingfornights
Summary: Bellamy is a yoga instructor and Clarke is a stressed out college student who happens to work at Bellamy's favorite coffee shop. Modern Bellarke, AU, One-shot.


Bellamy Blake can honestly say that he never expected to become a yoga instructor.

Because, really, Bellamy doesn't look like the type of guy who would do yoga, let alone instruct a class.

Fate, however, doesn't give a damn about these things.

It starts on a day like any other, Bellamy is walking Octavia to her yoga class, and she begs him to stay. He denies her request every time, but this day, Bellamy thinks _what the hell, why not?_

As it turns out, he's a natural. Soon he is attending every class and eventually the instructor stops him before he darts out of the door at the end of class. "You're really great, Bellamy," Echo says. "Have you ever thought about teaching a class? You have great technique."

Bellamy is flattered, though he tries not to show it. Echo convinces him to lead one of their classes the next week, and Bellamy is actually shocked that the other students in the class _enjoy_ when he is leading them.

Eventually, Bellamy learns that Echo is moving cities, and that her plan was for him to take over the class all along.

So, no, he never quite imagined that this would be his life. But he loves it all the same.

* * *

He stops by his favorite coffee shop, because even though he tries to be good, cappuccinos are his weakness. Especially when the blonde barista is working, who makes them just right. She's also extremely beautiful, not that Bellamy's noticed.

Fortunately for him, she's working today. He orders his regular, and catches the slight upturn of her lips. She knows his coffee order by heart, he's sure. He's not certain why that makes his insides feel warm. He notes that her hair is thrown into a bun rather haphazardly and there are dark circles under her eyes. He almost tells her about his yoga class, but decides against it.

She hands him his coffee, and he hands her his money.

The way she smiles and waves as he leaves definitely has nothing to do with why he loves this coffee shop.

They just have really great cappuccinos, okay?

* * *

He makes his way to his morning class, a few people already rolling out their yoga mats. He sets up his phone for the fresh playlist he has made for this particular class. He always finds the morning classes a little rougher than the evening classes. When mellow guitar cords fill the room, Bellamy sits on his mat and closes his eyes.

He waits a few minutes, waiting for his normal late arrivals. When he opens his eyes and sees Octavia in the far corner of the room, he's not really that surprised. She likes to attend his classes every once in a while, though she attends less and less now that she is back in college for the semester.

So, no, he isn't shocked to see Octavia. But he is shocked to see the person sitting on the mat next to her.

It's the girl from the coffee shop.

* * *

As the class goes on, he has the class do sun salutations as he walks around the room and fixes some people's poses.

He straightens Raven's legs as she goes into downward facing dog. He raises Monty's chin when he is doing cobra. Bellamy is used to fixing poses and them nodding to him in thanks. So he circles the room and helps people out, his soft acoustic music bouncing off the walls.

When he reaches the back corner where Octavia is, he's not sure he can do it. He's used to Octavia, of course, but he is not used to the barista. He notices that her hands are too high when she is in mountain pose. He fixes her without a second thought. But the look she gives him makes him gulp. He turns away from her and returns to his mat in the front of the studio.

He spends the rest of the class avoiding eye contact with that corner of the room.

He's not sure why his heart is beating so quickly, knowing that her eyes are on him.

* * *

Bellamy learns that the barista's name is Clarke. She is med student who works at the coffee shop part time. She is very stressed. She also is pretty great at drawing.

He learns all of this because Clarke is apparently Octavia's new best friend. They met on the quad on campus, when Clarke dropped her massive stack of papers, and Octavia helped her retrieve them. After finding out that they have a math class together, the two fall into an easy friendship.

 _This world is entirely too small,_ Bellamy thinks.

Octavia forces Clarke to attend Bellamy's yoga class at least once a week. And while Bellamy doesn't _dislike_ the idea, he is a bit bitter about it. Clarke is absolutely wonderful, as Octavia gushes. But she also is very negative and really stressed out. He's pretty sure that just her presence shifts the whole atmosphere in the class.

Even though she still shoots looks at him when he fixes her poses, he does it, because it's his _job_. He certainly doesn't pay her any extra attention than the rest of his students.

As his gaze lands on her for the 25th time that hour, he thinks _of course not, she's Octavia's best friend._

Although as he catches her gaze for the 26th time, he's not so sure.

* * *

He still gets coffee in the mornings, which he learns is Clarke's normal shift time. She works from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then returns for an evening shift from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Now, however, she doesn't even ask him what he wants. She always has his cappuccino ready for him and smiles as he leaves, saying "See you in class, Bellamy."

He thinks that maybe she doesn't hate yoga as much as she pretends too.

Bellamy smiles as he sips his coffee, hitting shuffle on his playlist. He sits on his yoga mat in the studio and waits for his class to arrive.

Not quite sure why, he starts making a playlist titled "Clarke."

* * *

Octavia and Bellamy have dinner together every Saturday. Usually they just hang out in Bellamy's apartment, where he cooks and Octavia brings the wine.

But this particular Saturday, Octavia brings more than just wine. Clarke is accompanying her, looking very beautiful in a navy sweater and light wash jeans. Not that he notices.

"I didn't know that you could cook," Clarke says, once Octavia has excused herself to go to the bathroom.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Princess," he replies.

Clarke doesn't get the chance to say anything else before Octavia returns.

"Who wants to pop open this wine, eh?" Octavia asks.

Clarke laughs. "Here we go."

Bellamy is glad that someone else knows how Octavia is when she's had a little too much wine.

They eat dinner, and even though Bellamy is interested in hearing about Octavia's week, he can't help but keep his eyes on Clarke for most of the night.

* * *

When Clarke walks into the studio on Wednesday morning, Bellamy can instantly tell that something is wrong.

She gives off a bad vibe and it's seriously messing with his head. Octavia is not with her this morning.

He grabs his phone and changes playlists. He scrolls through his phone until he finds the "Clarke" playlist.

He walks over to her mat, where she is sitting with her legs crossed. "You're really stressed," he says.

She practically snorts at him. "No shit."

Bellamy takes a deep breath, willing himself to be patient. "Just close your eyes and listen to the music."

He decides to greet some of his other students, as to prove that Clarke is just another student of his.

Of course, it's not entirely convincing, and he sees the look that Harper is throwing him.

He returns to his mat and closes his eyes, waiting for the rest of his class to arrive.

Once they do, Bellamy glances at Clarke, who is obviously in a better mood. A smile plays on his lips as he welcomes the class.

* * *

He's not sure when it happens, but Saturday dinners with Octavia soon become Saturday dinners with Octavia and Clarke. Not that Bellamy minds. He's also pleasantly surprised when Octavia bails early one night, and Bellamy and Clarke are left alone.

"So," Clarke begins, "what got you into yoga?"

Bellamy shrugs. "It was Octavia, really."

She smiles fondly. "It seems that she has a knack for that then."

"So you enjoy my class?"

"Of course," she says, rolling her eyes. "You're a pretty great teacher. Your playlists are really good, by the way."

As it turns out, Bellamy and Clarke have the same music taste, and their conversation turns in that direction.

He's pretty sure that he shouldn't feel so comfortable being alone with his sister's best friend. But he feels more at ease with her than he has ever felt with anyone other than Octavia.

It scares him a little, but it's the good kind of scared.

* * *

Clarke has a big exam coming up in one of her med classes. She's so stressed out that Bellamy gets an instant headache when she enters the studio.

To make up for it, she starts bringing him cappuccinos before class. When he tries to pay her back, she just shrugs it off. "Don't worry about it. I know I throw off your whole class when I'm this stressed. Money for a cappuccino is the least of my worries."

Bellamy spends extra time that night adding songs to his "Clarke" playlist.

* * *

Bellamy isn't quite sure when everything meets the turning point in their relationship.

Clarke comes by his apartment throughout the week now, rather than just on Saturdays. Sometimes Octavia is with her, and sometimes there are days like today, where Clarke is sitting on his couch, sipping red wine, stealing his blanket.

They listen to mellow acoustics and chat about their weeks. Bellamy loves teaching yoga, he _really_ does. But sometimes he thinks he should be doing something else, and Clarke listens to all of this rants and even his worries about Octavia.

He listens to her as she complains about med school and how glad she is to have met his sister. Sometimes she even brings her sketchbook and shows him her latest work.

They watch Netflix and their knees brush every so often. It sends sparks through Bellamy's body.

He's not sure when it happened, but he's sure he's in love with her.

If Octavia were to ever find out, he would be so screwed.

* * *

Clarke texts Bellamy quite frequently, so he doesn't really think much of it when she messages him at 2 a.m.

 _Can I tell you something?_ she asks.

 _Sure._

 _I think you're kind of perfect._

 _Yeah?_ Bellamy has no idea how to respond to her, so he believes he's safe with that.

 _Yeah._

And that's the end of the converstaion. Bellamy's not sure why his chest hurts and he stays awake most of the night.

* * *

It's after an evening yoga class when it happens.

Clarke has come to this class, something Bellamy is definitely not used to. Clarke is usually in the morning class, after all. And she also isn't really in his class, as she has arrived at the very end.

Once the class says "Namaste," Clarke is making her way to him. The studio is mostly empty when she places a cappuccino in his hand.

Before he can say anything, Clarke is pressing her lips to his cheek.

He sets the cup down and pulls her to him.

He kisses her on the lips, not really caring about the world around him.

He's sure he can feel her smiling against his lips. He's also sure that he is returning that smile.

* * *

As it should turn out, Octavia has really been playing matchmaker.

"I knew you would be cute together," she coos once they decide to tell her.

Clarke laughs. "It would have happened eventually. I had a total crush on him when he came into the coffee shop everyday."

Bellamy just smiles.

No, this life isn't exactly what he imagined it would be. But he loves it anyway.


End file.
